Elliott Smith: From a Basement on the HillFrom a Basement on the Hill (2004)Anti- Records

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: GodfatherGodfather(others by this writer | submit your own)Published on November 6th 2005Singer/songwriter Elliott Smith, dead at 34 from a knife wound to the chest. Tabloids will tell you that it was a suicide, but I say murder. I'll spare you the details of the investigation because they are sketchy, at best.
Elliott was one of the best songwriters of our time. His lyrics were inte.

Singer/songwriter Elliott Smith, dead at 34 from a knife wound to the chest. Tabloids will tell you that it was a suicide, but I say murder. I'll spare you the details of the investigation because they are sketchy, at best.

Elliott was one of the best songwriters of our time. His lyrics were intelligent. They were heartfelt. At times, downright depressing. From a Basement on the Hill was released shortly after Elliott's untimely death. I should make it clear that this album is not a compilation. These were new songs that Elliott was still tweaking at the time of his death. What you have are 15 tracks that were picked out by Smith's closest friends and producer Rob Schnapf. No one really knows what, if any, changes Elliott would have made, but regardless, this post-humous album shows how truly talented Elliott was, and unfortunately, reminds us of what could have been.

Most of the songs on the album are acoustic/folk rock. The acoustic guitars and Elliott's whispery voice really help set the somber tone in all of Elliott Smith's albums. Yes, I realize â??whispery' is not an actual word, but it's the only thing I can come up with to describe it. Elliott's voice is nothing special, but not many brilliant songwriters actually do have great vocals. From a Basement on the Hill is not for everybody. It's emotionally draining and a little cumbersome, but I do highly recommend it to any fan of acoustic rock.

Quote from my favorite song on the album, "Fond Farewell:"

A little less than a human being
A little less than a happy high
A little less than a suicide
The only things that you really tried
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's not what I'm like
It's just a fond farewell to a friend

weird to me that this has the lowest rating of all his albums so far reviewed on punknews. my favourite album by easily my favourite artist, and it's a shame that it hasn't gotten a better review than this.

Anonymous (November 27, 2005)

Pretty weird album compared to his others. I still enjoyed it and thought there were some rlly amazing songs. Pretty ugly before, lets get lost, fond farewell, twilight are sick. Really depresing shit here.

All I know is that back in MY day, there wasn't any "Oh, I'm sorry, let me make it up to you bullshit." It all ended with my enemies ridiculed beyond belief. It was all like, "Oh please, oh great one, please don't stick it in my ass," and I'd be all like, "Take it bitch! Unnghh! Get on it!! Yeeaaaarrrgghhh!"

F'realz.

Anonymous (November 8, 2005)

it really shows by the lenth of the review that this guy didn't really listen to the record this is a great cd and a great artist that deserves more then a weak ass review by a retard

Anonymous (November 8, 2005)

"Guy below me is a faggort."

Bend over so I can ram your chocolate love-hole hard. Right now, man. I'm a faggort, and I'm coming to get you. Gay, but with an extra 'r'.

listen you stupid fuck...unless you have something to say about the album, then get the fuck out of this thread....and if you want to start some kind of e-war, then bring it.....i'll splatter your e-guts all over this site....and before you know it, you'll be writing your kanye west reviews over at absolute punk

"Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill
Posted by Anchors on 2005-11-06 03:41:33

Yo dude, it's cool, and everyone has to start somewhere. I look at the first few reviews I wrote and cringe, and hell, I look at some reviews I wrote 3 weeks ago and cringe. The more you write, the more comfortable you feel.

And while I do think the review was way to short, hey, at least you appreciate Elliott Smith as he should be.

Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill
Posted by Godfather on 2005-11-06 03:37:32
My Score:

sorry for accusing you anchors....i promise i won't bother you anymore unless provoked.....and that'd be cool if you wrote a review on another smith album....i'd suggest xo or either/or, but it's obviously your call

about the review....yeah, its way too short....i actually did write about some of the highlights, but it sounded so awful when i read it to myself that i deleted it...i have a lot of respect for you guys that write good reviews, but it's really hard for me to describe things that are so intangible, like music. if i do write another review, i'll try to be a little more insightful and such"

was this just a crazy internet fight on punknews.org where the two members of the community actually spoke to each other and came to terms of agreement and mutual respect?!

this has to be a first for the ENTIRE INTERNET EVER."

everyone's becoming a big emo pussy around here or something. this place was funnier when we were all 19 or so and had no respect for each other EVER. now we're all becoming mid 20's and gayer than gay.

anyway, this is a great album, but i just can't get that into elliot smith. i recognize his genoius, my one indy friend absolutely worships the guy, but its just too depressing and somber for me. i liek my shit a little more rockin.

Jesus, someone has the keep the hate alive. What the fuck is this? Making up after an Internet spat?

The only Elliott Smith album I can sit through is the s/t one. And the back half is the best part. "St. Ides Heaven," "The Wihte Lady Loves You More," "The Biggest Lie" - these are some of my favorite Elliott Smith songs.

but, as i do love a majority of smith's discography, i will say that there are some extremely noteworthy tracks that rank up there with favorites such as "say yes", "needle in the hay" and "miss misery," most of which is "twilight", easily my favorite on the album and one of the most beautiful of his career.

was this just a crazy internet fight on punknews.org where the two members of the community actually spoke to each other and came to terms of agreement and mutual respect?!

this has to be a first for the ENTIRE INTERNET EVER.

really, kudos to anchors and godfather for not getting into a pissing contest. this should set an example for people who get into unnecessary fights around here that keep going and going and going. good job you two.

Yo dude, it's cool, and everyone has to start somewhere. I look at the first few reviews I wrote and cringe, and hell, I look at some reviews I wrote 3 weeks ago and cringe. The more you write, the more comfortable you feel.

And while I do think the review was way to short, hey, at least you appreciate Elliott Smith as he should be.

sorry for accusing you anchors....i promise i won't bother you anymore unless provoked.....and that'd be cool if you wrote a review on another smith album....i'd suggest xo or either/or, but it's obviously your call

about the review....yeah, its way too short....i actually did write about some of the highlights, but it sounded so awful when i read it to myself that i deleted it...i have a lot of respect for you guys that write good reviews, but it's really hard for me to describe things that are so intangible, like music. if i do write another review, i'll try to be a little more insightful and such.

I'm going to write a review for either 'Figure 8' or 'Either/Or,' haven't decided yet.

I like either / or better, personally. i mean, it's a pretty easy review:

"this album is absolutely beautiful, epically depressing without being superficial, but has a straightforward style that most of today's bands try, and fail to, emulate. download this and put your recent purchase of the new dashboard confessional album into retirement."

Also, this is good, but like his other albums I've heard thus far (XO, Either/Or), all of the best material is in the first third-to-half. I tend to zone out when halftime passes, though "Twilight" and "Memory Lane" are definitely two of my favorites from this, along with the first four tracks and "A Fond Farewell."

Still a great artist that managed to write some really powerful and yet really basic songs.

Anonymous (November 6, 2005)

I think Elliott was murdered too. His girlfriend opened the bathroom door while they were fighting and he had a knife sticking out of his chest? Bullshit.

Great CD by the way... It's too bad we're never gonna hear anything new from the guy. :(

any beef between you and anchors needent be here. if "all your reviews blow," maybe you should take that as a hint that you shouldn't write them. this is an incredibly amazing album, one with the substance that a majority of the modern punk scene lacks. anchors is dead on when the comment is made that it is in need of a more thorough review. there are so many little things to thsi album- obviously, the main aspect being that a percentage (around 1/3 if i'm not mistaken) was done posthumously in production by friends in what they think smith's vision was. not to mention the lyrics and an added twist on to what smith has written in previous works of his, or in heatmiser.

internet drama aside (cause, as we all know, it's serious business), a quarter of your review consists of lyrics from a song on the album. you have to be prepared to get criticized for a review with that little substance, other than, "it's really fucking good, listen to it."

Anchors, it's obvious that I've gotten under your skin and your panties are still in a wad. It's the goddamn internet; get over it. I don't care how many reviews you've written for this site because one of em includes Mars Volta, in which you felt it deserved 5 stars....ugh. And congratulations on figuring out how to compliment yourself anonymously: Anchors is right. Good job with that.

yeah, and all my reviews blow...what's new?

Anonymous (November 6, 2005)

what bands are in the "punk rock spirit" nowadays....
every band that plays punk music (the genre) is not playing in the spirit of punk rock cause they are playing the same shit that was already created. blood brothers is one band that i think is playing in the spirit of punk rock. I have friends that only listen to hardcore street punk and they cant listen to the blood brothers cause its too noisy. im stoned and im not sure what this has to do with elliot smith anymore but ill just say that he was a really good songwriter/lyricist and in the music you dont have to classify that into a genre.

I'm glad Epitaph has Anti-, to maintain some sort of credibility, but this is not "in the punk rock spirit." This is pop music, fair and square. It's not very good, either. RP is above this, and that's completely fair and true.

i'll agreee with anchors. this album is absolutely magnificent and does deserve a stronger review.

but, as i do love a majority of smith's discography, i will say that there are some extremely noteworthy tracks that rank up there with favorites such as "say yes", "needle in the hay" and "miss misery," most of which is "twilight", easily my favorite on the album and one of the most beautiful of his career.